Defining Terms:

"Degree of Combustibility", from 0% to 100% will be developed from past & present test results.

Acceptable "Degree of Combustibility" ratings may vary among different exterior locations

Categories of Exterior Building Products To Be Rated

1. Entrance Doors	13. Sky Lights
2. Patio Doors	14. Roof Vents
3. Garage Doors	15. Patio Decks
4. Outside Basement Door Hatches	16. Stairways
5. Work Tool Closet Doors	17. Exterior Intumescent Coating/Paint
6. Roof Hatches	18. Fire resistant Wall Drop Curtains
7. Storm Doors	19. Any Exterior Fire Resistant Product
8. Door Sills	20. Pressure Treated Fire Retardant Wood
9. Eaves, Gutters	21. Utility Poles
10. Windows	22. Glass Block
11. Siding	23. Fire Rated Glazing
12 Roofing	24. Roof/Attic Vents
	25. Fire Screen/Storm Door

Program Parameters

All 4 of the evaluation systems listed below will be acceptable

1. Product Evaluation: Guardian will evaluate products constructed of non-combustible materials. Cost may vary according to amount of time and any additional procedures necessary to evaluate the product appropriately. The product certification fee (listing and labeling) will vary according to the product category & the labeling or stamping method preferred.

2. Modified Test Standard: Fire retardant product construction will be tested to a modified UL 1715 wood crib burn system using 50 pieces of 2" x 2" x 15" fire crib, 3" in front of the product being tested. The system must be "self-extinguishing".

3. Modified Test Standard: 20-minute modified temperature system:

5 min. temp 500° F

10 min. temp 1000° F

15 min. temp 1200° F

A small scale (5" wide x 8" high) vertical furnace, NFPA 251 style, would be used. Product cannot burn 5 minutes after fire is shut off. The product must be self-extinguishing.

4. Extended time test modification: Flame spread testing would use ASTM E-84 test with time extended to 30 minutes. Many products have passed this test, and Guardian could label such products in accordance with its "Wildfire Ignition Resistant" program.

Evaluation

1.a Submit complete shop drawings
1.b Submit 12" long samples of all the materials used in the exterior portion of the product; a mockup of the sample will be evaluated.

Modified Test Standard (UL 1715)

            2   Fire Retardant Materials Construction     (Test to be conducted in "corner burn" room)
            2.a   Submit complete shop drawings
            2.b   Construction of test specimen must be witnessed by Guardian inspector or built by Guardian personnel.
            2.c   Test product wall must be 4' wide x 8' high, 2 pieces.
            2.d   Test crib consists of 50 pieces of 2 x 2's, actual 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 15" long in a 5 piece wide by 10 rows high spruce-pine-fir
                    fire crib set on 4" high bricks 3" away from the product in the corner.
            2.e   Results: product components must be self-extinguishing

Modified Test Standard (NFPA 251 style test) Small Scale Vertical Furnace with Modified Temperatures

            3.a   20-minute time test in a small scale, 5' x 8' high or similar size vertical furnace
            3.b   Time/Temperatures
                    0 minute   ambient 60° F plus or minus
                    5 minutes      500° F
                    10 minutes  1000° F
                    15 minutes  1200° F

Test Results Will Be Categorized as follows:

Non-combustible

           Fire Proof                                              5%-9% combustibility (slight wisps of flame with no flame spread)
           Ignition Resistant                                  10%-19% combustibility (only burns while fuel flame is on it - little if any flame spread)
           Self Extinguishing                                 10%-19% combustibility (only burns when fuel flame is on it - flame spread of 0-25 (class "A"
                                                                         on ASTM E 84 test with extended time format)
           Fire Retardant                                       20%-24% combustibility (able to slow or check the fire; intermittent flaming without spreading)
           Fire Resistive                                         25% - combustibility (able to slow or check the fire with intermittent flaming & slight flame
                                                                        spread; must be self-extinguishing)
           1-hr fire resistance rated wall construction  50% - combustibility

           Weathered Asphalt Roof Shingles       75% - combustibility

           Untreated Wood Products                     100% - combustibility

           1 3/4" Solid Core Wood Fire Door
           Rated 20 minutes                                   100% - combustibility

We, at Guardian, feel that the public would be much better served if exterior building products marketed as "fire safe", "fire resistant", etc. were classified in clearly defined terms as to their "degree of combustibility". The labeling program detailed above is a starting point toward reaching that goal. We would welcome your comments, suggestions and corrections applicable to the contents of the program. Please send, fax or email us at the following addresses:

Guardian Fire Testing Laboratories, Inc.	Guardian Test Lab Location:
15 Wenonah Terrace	474 Hinman Ave.
Tonawanda, NY, 14150-7027 (office)	Buffalo, NY 14216
fax: 716 835 5682

Email gftli@earthlink.net

Thank you from the staff at Guardian Fire Testing laboratories.

Guardian is an ISO 17025-2005 fire testing laboratory accredited by ANSI (American National Standards Institute)/ASQ/ACLASS.

Guardian also is accredited as an Inspection (ISO 17020) and Product Certification (ISO Guide 65) Agency by IAS, which is a division of ICC.

A reminder of what may remain after a wildfire has claimed a home constructed without certified fire protection - only the silverware.

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